His assumption is actually that smart engineers would chase good tech, high stock price increase potential. They already have good compensation being Facebook/Google engineers.

Would you work for less if you only had to work Monday through Thursday?

Or if you could take sabbaticals at will?

Work environment makes a huge difference. My current job is pretty harmonious among the coworkers, the bosses and team-leaders are all engineers themselves or at least tech-literate. They are also very preoccupied with the welfare of employees and even kept a completely unproductive (bad fit) employee on for half a year to help him score a new job first.

The customers are almost always happy with what we produce, and while it is certainly not fast growing, the company is steadily progressing in a good direction.

This environment is worth a lot of money to me.

Stay as long as it remains like this, these places are few and far between!

Probably true for most people, people often Lie about motivations on surveys.

Assumption #2: Google/FB development practices will fit in.